'Seven Pounds' weighed down by depression

Tom Long / Detroit News Film Critic

'Seven Pounds" features the best performance by a jellyfish in a film this year. Really, the thing is mesmerizing.

Unfortunately, the star of "Seven Pounds" is Will Smith. He's not so mesmerizing. In fact, if you go to this film expecting to see a Will Smith movie -- fun, cocky, hip, cool -- you will be sorely disappointed. That Will Smith isn't in this movie.

This Will Smith is more like the guy in "The Pursuit of Happyness," except even more depressing. Way more depressing. Both "Pursuit" and "Pounds" were directed by Gabriele Muccino, obviously the guy Smith turns to when he wants to get depressing.

Smith isn't merely depressing here, he's also darned confusing. It's not entirely clear what's going on until the film's final minutes.

Smith appears to be an IRS agent named Ben Thomas, although he's also some kind of rich engineering genius, so rich he has his own pet deadly jellyfish. And he hangs out around people who need organ transplants. It's doubtful that most IRS agents do that, although you never know.

One of the people who needs an organ is played by Rosario Dawson. She needs a heart, and she tells Ben she used to be "hot." Ben's not fooled -- she's still pretty hot -- and so they fall in love.

In a regular Will Smith movie, this would be a good thing. But this is a depressing Will Smith movie, so watch out, Rosario. On the other hand, at least you're hot.

"Seven Pounds," unfortunately, is not hot. It's one of those films that keeps you wondering for a while, and when you figure out what's coming, you want to stand up in the theater and say, "Really? That's what this was about? Are you kidding me?"

Will Smith is not kidding you. Which is too bad. Will Smith the kidder is a fun guy. Depressing Will Smith, on the other hand, is just sort of depressing.

You can reach Tom Long at (313) 222-8879 or tlong@detnews.com.